The invention relates to a system for delivering information and advertising to the occupants of an elevator. More particularly, the invention is a cost effective and reliable apparatus and method for delivering audio/video information and targeted advertising to the occupants of an elevator without utilizing a closed circuit television, LAN or Internet feed.
For most individuals, an elevator is an uncomfortable environment. Behavioral scientists theorize that people feel uncomfortable in an elevator because it presents an environment in which the occupant experiences a lack of control. Once the elevator doors close, the occupant must remain inside until the elevator reaches its destination and the doors reopen. Furthermore, the elevator environment is perceived as being crowded, constrained, and often unpleasant due to the presence of concentrated odors, such as cigar smoke, food or perfume. As a result, many individuals consider the elevator environment to be an invasion of their xe2x80x9cpersonal space,xe2x80x9d regardless of the number of occupants riding in the elevator. These feelings and perceptions are only exacerbated in urban high-rise office buildings where hurried individuals share elevator rides with a greater number of people for longer periods of time.
The uncomfortable feeling experienced by many individuals is most apparent from observing the change in the behavior of individuals once they enter an elevator. Most people are reluctant to speak to other elevator riders. Eye contact with other occupants is also generally kept to a minimum. The occupant""s gaze is typically fixated on the floor, on the doors of the elevator, on the control panel to one side of the doors, or on the floor indicator lights positioned on the control panel or above the doors. Riders often fidget and nervously adjust their clothing or belongings. Some attempt to read or even work on a battery powered electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or personal computer, during the relatively short elevator ride in an attempt to overcome the intense feelings of uneasiness they experience while riding in an elevator.
Since so many, if not most, people are uncomfortable and experience feelings of uneasiness in the elevator environment, elevator operators and building managers have long sought ways to put elevator riders more at ease. Such attempts have included the playing of xe2x80x9ceasy listeningxe2x80x9d music in elevator cabs. The playing of music in elevator cabs has become so prevalent that the type of easy listening music typically played in elevators is now often referred to as xe2x80x9celevator music.xe2x80x9d Elevator operators and building managers have also placed printed information, and in particular printed advertising, in elevator cabs to give occupants something on which to focus their attention and pass the time. More recently, electronic media, such as stock tickers, news banners and building information systems have been introduced into the elevator environment. These electronic media are operated from a closed circuit television signal, Local Area Network (LAN) or Internet feed. Increasingly, the electronic media are relying on electronic advertising to generate sufficient revenue to pay the high cost of installing, configuring, and operating the necessary closed circuit television, LAN, or Internet feed equipment. Such elevator advertising systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,288,688 to Hughes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,500 to Amo et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,073,727 and 5,955,710 to DiFranza, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,154 to Doigan et al.
Given that the elevator environment is so uncomfortable, it may seem surprising at first that advertising in elevator cabs would be more than only marginally effective. However, statistics compiled from the 1995 Ryerson Polytechnic Institute/Capilano College Study on the elevator audience and the effects of print advertising in elevator cabs reveal that elevator advertising is certainly one of the most, of not the most, effective forms of advertising. In particular, the Study showed that: (1) 68% of all elevator riders are 21-39 years of age; (2) 45% of elevator riders have annual incomes exceeding $35,000; (3) 71% live in households that include 2 or more individuals; (4) 85% work in xe2x80x9cwhite collarxe2x80x9d occupations; and (5) 51% have completed post-secondary education. These results reveal that elevator riders as a group tend to be young, active, upwardly mobile, and having a high level of disposable income. It is widely known that individuals sharing the above characteristics fall within the target demographics of the majority of advertisers.
More than merely providing the right audience, however, elevators provide a desirable environment for advertising. The Ryerson/Capilano Study further revealed that: (1) elevator print advertising achieved the highest recorded unaided medium awareness score with 84% of elevator occupants reporting that they were xe2x80x9cawarexe2x80x9d of the advertising; (2) elevator print advertising also achieved the highest recorded aided media recall score with 96% of elevator occupants able to recall the advertising when queried; (3) more than 85% of occupants"" comments regarding the elevator print advertising were favorable; and (4) 82% of the elevator riders felt that print advertising placed in elevators is interesting to read. These results reveal that elevators provide a captive target audience with a high retention rate at a time of day when the elevator occupant is alert, focused and attentive. In view of such overwhelming statistics, there is no reason to believe that audio/video advertising in elevator cabs would not be equally, if not more, effective than print advertising.
However, there are serious obstacles presently facing audio/video advertising in elevator cabs. As previously mentioned, there is the high cost of installing, configuring and operating an entire bank of elevators with closed circuit television, LAN, or Internet feed equipment. In addition, there are difficulties associated with determining the number of occupants that are exposed to each advertisement for the purposes of establishing billing rates and collecting advertising revenues. Accordingly, it is apparent that there is a need for an elevator information and advertising delivery system that is cost effective to install, configure and operate. It is further apparent that there exists a need for an elevator information and advertising delivery system that reliably determines the number of elevator occupants that are exposed to each advertisement for the purposes establishing billing rates and collecting advertising revenues.
The present invention provides a system, and in particular, an apparatus and method for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab that overcomes the disadvantages of elevator cab message systems discussed above. The apparatus includes a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab. The apparatus further includes an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a digital data signal. The IPU includes a central processing unit (CPU) for storing pre-recorded advertising messages and for replaying the pre-recorded advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab. The IPU further includes a monitor electrically connected to the CPU for displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab.
In a particular embodiment, the IPU further includes an infrared camera electrically connected to the CPU for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor. Preferably, the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable. In another aspect, the IPU further includes a speaker electrically connected to the CPU and the advertising messages consist of audio/video files transmitted to the IPU from the network mainframe server. In another aspect, the telephone line includes terminals located in the elevator cab and the CPU is connected to the terminals of the telephone line by an xDSL data line.
The method includes the step of providing a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab. The method includes the further step of providing an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server. The IPU includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor electrically connected to the CPU. The network mainframe server transmits the advertising messages from the network mainframe server to the CPU of the IPU over a telephone line. The advertising messages are stored on the CPU of the IPU displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU. In a particular embodiment, the method includes the further steps of providing an infrared camera connected to the CPU of the IPU and detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor.